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John Kuhlman at time of service [detail from video]

Veterans History Project Service Summary:

  • War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Unit of Service: Headquarters and Service Company, 1254th Combat Engineer Battalion
  • Location of Service: Fort Lewis, Washington; Camp Roberts, California; University of California, Berkeley, California; Camp Cooke, California; Fort Crook, Nebraska; Camp Livingston, Louisiana; England; Netherlands; Belgium; France; Germany; European Theater
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/86299

View full service history

"Typing my PhD dissertation used the last dollar of my GI Bill." (Memoir, pg. 21).

Raised on a wheat form in rural Washington, Corporal John Kuhlman scraped together enough money to enroll in college in the fall of 1941. Though the outbreak of World War II disrupted his plans for an education, ultimately, his three years in the Army led to his future career in academia. The Army Specialized Training Program allowed him attend the University of California before he shipped out to the European Theater in 1944, and after the war, he used the GI Bill to purchase a house and to subsidize his undergraduate and graduate degree.

Interview / Recording

More Resources

[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [3/30/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman, including typewritten note from Kuhlman [4/19/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/21/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/24/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/25/1943] ]

Show more resources (223)

[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/27/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/01/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/13/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/15/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/22/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/25/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/29/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/01/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/06/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/08/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/13/1943] ]
[ V-Mail to "Jack" Kuhlman from Dale F. Brannon [?] [6/18/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/19/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/22/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/27/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/29/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/08/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/11/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/13/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/18/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/20/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/25/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/27/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/04/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/07/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/13/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/15/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/21/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/22/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/23/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/03/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/06/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/09/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/15/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/18/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/22/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/25/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/29/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/06/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/10/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/14/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/17/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/20/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/24/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/03/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/07/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/10/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/14/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/16/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/21/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/24/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/28/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/01/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/22/1943] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/02/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/05/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/09/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/12/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/16/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/19/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/23/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/30/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/02/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/06/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/09/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/13/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/16/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/20/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/23/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/26/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [03/01/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/06/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [03/08/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [03/11/1944] ]
[ Change of address postcard for John Kuhlman [03/14/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [03/14/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [03/18/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [03/21/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [03/28/1944] ]
[ Typewritten letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [04/01/1944] ]
[ Typewritten letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [04/04/1944] ]
[ Letter to "Sis" from John Kuhlman [04/09/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [04/11/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [04/14/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [04/18/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [04/20/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [04/25/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [05/01/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [05/05/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [05/11/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [05/14/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [05/21/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [05/24/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [05/28/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [05/31/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [06/04/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [06/07/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [06/11/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [06/15/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [06/23/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [07/02/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [07/08/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [07/16/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [07/19/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [07/23/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [08/02/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [08/09/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [08/13/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [08/23/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [08/27/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [09/09/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [09/22/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [09/24/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [09/28/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/02/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/06/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/12/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/15/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/04/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/05/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/11/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/12/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/13/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/23/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/24/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/27/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/10/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/07/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/08/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/10/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/13/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/16/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/16/1944] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/19/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/21/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/28/1944] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/07/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/07/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/14/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [1/24/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [2/01/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [2/04/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [2/08/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [2/11/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [2/15/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [2/20/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [2/28/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [3/11/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [3/13/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [3/25/1945 ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [3/29/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/01/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/02/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/11/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/17/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/21/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/25/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/27/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [4/28/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/02/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/03/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/06/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/11/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/13/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/18/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/21/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/23/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/24/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [5/25/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/03/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/04/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/17/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [6/24/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/04/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/11/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/15/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/19/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [7/29/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/05/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/09/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/11/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/12/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/15/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/25/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/26/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/30/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [8/31/1945] ]
[ V-Mail to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/03/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/07/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/13/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/19/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [9/27/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/03/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/07/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/09/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/14/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/17/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [10/24/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/03/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/07/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/10/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/11/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/15/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/19/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/20/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/26/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [11/28/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/1/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/07/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/09/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/17/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/24/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [12/31/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [01/04/1946] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [01/08/1946] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [01/14/1946] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [01/17/1946] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [01/24/1946] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [01/26/1946] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/02/1946] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/06/1946] ]
[ Letter to Mom from John Kuhlman [02/10/1946] ]

About this Item

Title

  • John Melville Kuhlman Collection

Names

  • Kuhlman, John Melville
  • Kolditz, Kay

Home State

  • North Carolina

Headings

  • -  Kuhlman, John Melville
  • -  World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
  • -  United States. Army.

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Gender

  • Male

Status

  • veteran

Service History

  • World War, 1939-1945

    • Branch of Service: Army
    • Unit of Service: Headquarters and Service Company, 1254th Combat Engineer Battalion
    • Location of Service: Fort Lewis, Washington; Camp Roberts, California; University of California, Berkeley, California; Camp Cooke, California; Fort Crook, Nebraska; Camp Livingston, Louisiana; England; Netherlands; Belgium; France; Germany; European Theater
    • Highest Rank: Corporal
    • Dates of Service: 1942-1946
    • Entrance into Service: Enlisted
    • Military Status: veteran
    • Service History Note: The veteran enlisted in Enlisted Reserve Corps on 10/08/1942 and was called to active duty on 03/23/1943. He participated in Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) at the University of California, Berkeley.

Materials

  • Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2012-09; 2012-09-29)
  • Manuscript: Memoirs [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2012)
  • Manuscript: Civilian papers (certificates, forms, wills, etc) [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2009-09-23)
  • Manuscript: Correspondence [200 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1943-04-12-1946-02-10)

Collection Number

  • AFC/2001/001/86299

Cite as

  • John Melville Kuhlman Collection (AFC/2001/001/86299), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Online Format

  • image
  • video

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

Using VHP Material in Publication or Exhibition

The Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service. The Veterans History Project Collection includes oral histories along with documentary materials such as original letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs.

Veterans and interviewers contribute these materials to the Library for scholarly and educational purposes, retaining any copyright they may hold. Therefore, permission must be obtained before using the interview or other materials in exhibition or publication. Researchers or others who would like to make further use of these materials should contact the Veterans History Project for assistance.

As a publicly supported institution, the Library generally does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item from the Library’s collections and for securing any necessary permissions rests with persons desiring to use the item.

Please contact us with questions.

Obtaining Copies of VHP Materials

In order for VHP materials to be duplicated, we must receive written permission from the interviewee for you to obtain a copy of the recording unless the proposed use is limited to personal use, research, or other uses permissible by copyright law. If the interviewee is deceased, their next-of-kin may grant written permission.

Please contact VHP for assistance if you need to contact a veteran for permission to use their materials in exhibition or publication, or if you have received permission from the veteran and need access to high-resolution copies of VHP collection materials.

Citing VHP Materials

Please use the following formats when citing Veterans History Project materials (substituting the appropriate name and collection ID number).

Materials as a whole:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Manuscript material:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Memoirs (MS02), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Transcript (MS04), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Correspondence (MS01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Recording:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Audio recording (SR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Video recording (MV01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Photograph:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH01), photographer unknown, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH03-PH14), Ralph Williams photographer, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Computer file:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Computer file (CF01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Artifact:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Artifact (AR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Kuhlman, John Melville, and Kay Kolditz. John Melville Kuhlman Collection. 1942. Personal Narrative. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.86299/.

APA citation style:

Kuhlman, J. M. & Kolditz, K. (1942) John Melville Kuhlman Collection. [Personal Narrative] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.86299/.

MLA citation style:

Kuhlman, John Melville, and Kay Kolditz. John Melville Kuhlman Collection. 1942. Personal Narrative. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.86299/>.